Pipe thread cleaning tool



Nev. 29, 1949 w. w. WILLIAMS PIPE THREAD CLEANING TOOL Filed Aug. 17, 1946 Inventor Patented Nov. 29, 1949 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE PIPE THREAD CLEANING TOOL William Wallace Williams, Mexia, Tex.

Application August 17, 1946, Serial No. 691,332

Claims.

This invention relates to new and useful improvements and structural refinements in thread cleaning tools, and the principal object of the invention is to provide a device of the character herein described, such as may be conveniently and effectively employed for the purpose of cleaning both the male and female threads on pipes, or the like, particularly on pipes used in oil wells. Pipes of this character are frequently assembled and disassembled in accordance with varying operational requirements and the necessity of preserving the thread in a clean condition can be readily appreciated.

A further object of the invention is to provide a thread cleaning tool which may be readily adjusted to accommodate threads of various diameters.

Another object of the invention is to provide a thread cleaning tool which is also easily adaptable to threads of varying pitch.

An additional object of the invention is to provide a thread cleaning tool which is simple in construction and operation.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a thread cleaning tool which will readily lend itself to economical manufacture and which will not easily become damaged.

With the above more important objects in.

view and such other objects as may become apparent as this specification proceeds, the in-v vention consists essentially of the construction and arrangement of parts as shown in the accompanying drawings in which:

Figure 1 is a cross-sectional view of the invention,

Figure 2 is a top plan view of the same;

Figure 3 is a cross-sectional view, taken substantially in the plane of the line 3-3 in Figure 1, and

Figure 4 is an under-side plan view of the invention. 7

Like characters of reference are used to designate like parts in the specificationand throughout the several views.

Referring now to the accompanying drawings in detail, the invention consists of a thread cleaning tool designated generally by the reference character ID, the same embodying in its construction a substantially tubular body ll, closed at one end thereof and provided at its closed end with an adaptor shank 12.

A plurality of equally spaced arms l3, configurated substantially as shown, are secured to the lateral surface of the body II and extend longitudinally therefrom, the free end portions 2 of the arms l3 being bifurcated as at I4 and carrying transversely extending pivot pins I5 between their respective furcations, as will be clearly understood from the accompanying drawings.

A plurality of links l6 are each pivotally connected at one end thereof to one of the pins IS, the remaining end portion of each link forming a further pair of furcations H.

A toothed wheel I3 is rotatably mounted on a pin I9 between each pair of the last mentioned furcations, the wheels 18 together with the associated links l6 constituting what may be referred to as a radially adjustable head designated generally by the reference character 20.

The remaining end of the body II is internally threaded as at 2| to receive a cap 22, the latter, in turn, being formed with a central aperture 23. A pin 24 is slidably positioned in this aperture and extends into the body H to carry a head 25. The latter is, of course, slidable in the body and a compression spring 26 is positioned on each side of the head, as will be clearly apparent from the accompanying drawings.

- The outer end portion of the pin 24 is screw threaded as at 21 and a screw threaded collar 28 is adj-ustably positioned on this threaded portion, the collar being formed in its lateral wall with an annular groove 29.

Each of the aforementioned links I6 is formed adjacent the pivoted end thereof with an inwardly projecting detent 30, the several detents engaging the groove 29, as is best shown in Figure 1.

When the invention is placed in use, the adaptor shank I2 of the body II is clampedin the chuck of an electric drill, or the like, and the toothed wheels l8 are engaged with the thread 3| to be cleaned.

The rotation of the drill will effect a corresponding rotation of the tool I0, that the teeth of the wheels l8 will effectively clean the thread 3| by virtue of frictional engagement. It will be noted that the tendency of the thread 3| to axially move the tool ID will be effectively overcome by the rotation of the wheels l8upon the pin l9, and the drill, together with the associated tool [0, may be slid longitudinally with respect to the pipe 32, so as to clean the entire length of the thread 3|.

It will be observed that the compression springs 26, acting in opposite direction upon the head 25 of the pin 24, will retain the head 20 in predetermined adjustment to accommodate the thread 3| of definite diameter. If the thread is tapered, the wheels l8 will be simply drawn closer together or permitted to spread during the cleaning operation, this action being equalized through the medium of the link detents 30 and the collar 28 by the resiliency of the springs 26.

The tool may be adjusted to accommodate threads of various diameters by rotating the collar 28 upon the threaded portion 21 of the pin 26. In this manner, the head 20 will be ex.- panded or contracted as necessary. To accommodate threads of different pitch, several of the wheels l8 may be provided and selectively employed in association with the remaining components of the tool. The wheels, of course, will be similar to those illustrated in the accompanying drawings, the only difference being in the pitch of the teeth with which the wheels areprovided.

It will be noted that the tool may be employed, without modification, for cleaning both internal and external threads, since both the inner portion and outer portion of the wheels I8 may be used for the cleaning operation.

It is believed that the advantages and use of the invention will be clearly understood from the foregoing disclosure and accordingly, further description thereof at this point is considered unnecessary.

While in the foregoing there has been shown and described the preferred embodiment of this invention it is to be understood thatv minor changes in the details of construction, combination and arrangement of parts may be resorted to without departing from the spirit and scope. of the invention as claimed,

What I claim as my invention is:

1. A pipe thread cleaning tool comprising in combination, a substantially tubular body, a plurality of equally spaced arms secured to the lat.- eral surface of said body and extending: longitudinally therefrom, a link pivotally connected at one end thereof to the free end of each of said arms, a toothed wheel rotatably mounted at the free end of each of said links, said links and said wheels being pivoted to move in planes substantially radial with respect to said body, a pin slidably positioned in said body and projecting at one end therefrom, a head at the inner end of said pin, a compression spring between each side of said head and the adjacent end of said body, a threaded portion at the projecting end of said pin, a screw threaded collar adjustably positioned on said threaded portion, said collar being formed with an annular groove, and a detent provided on each of said links adjacent the pivoted end thereof, said detents engaging said groove.

2. A pipe thread cleaning tool comprising a substantially tubular body, a plurality of equally spaced arms fixedly carried by said body, a link pivotally carried by each of said arms for movement in planes substantially radial with respect to said body, a plunger mounted within said body and having a head, a compression spring between each side of the head and the adjacent end of said body, means connecting said plunger to said links for simultaneous radial movement of said links 4 relative to said body upon actuation of said plunger, and a toothed wheel rotatably carried by each of said links said means including extensions fixed to and projecting laterally from the links.

3. The combination of claim 2 wherein said connecting means includes a collar adjustably mounted on said plunger, said collar having an annular groove receiving said extensions.

l.v A pipe thread cleaning tool comprising a substantially tubular body, a plurality of equally spaced arms fixedly secured at one of their ends to said body, the free ends of said arms being bifurcated, links pivotally mounted at one of their ends in the--bifurcated ends of said arms for pivotal movement in planes substantially radial with respect to said body, a plunger slidably mounted within .said body and having a head, a compression spring on each side of the head and the adjacent end of the body, means connecting said plunger to said links for simultaneous radial movement of said links relative to said body and for adjustment of said plunger relative to said body, the free ends of said links being bifurcated, and a toothed wheel rotatabl'y carried by the bifurcated end of each of said links.

5. A pipe thread cleaning tool comprising a tubular body having a closed end and an open end, a plug threaded in the open end of the body and having a central opening, a plunger slidably received in the central opening and having a head mounted in the body and a threaded end projecting outwardly from the plug, a first spring embracing said plunger and biased between the plug and'the head to urge the head toward the closed end of the body, a second spring mounted in the body and biased between theclosed end of the body and the head to counteract the action of the first spring, a collar adjustably mounted on the threaded end of said plunger, a piurality'of equally spaced arms fixed to-the body, links pivotally mounted on said arms for radial movement with respect to said body and said plunger, a toothed wheel carried by each of the links, said collar having a continuous recess therein, and extensions projecting laterally from said links and received in said recess for radial movement of the links during sliding movementv oi-the plunger relative to the body in either direction.

WILLIAM WALLA CE WILLIAMS.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent UNTIED STATES PATENTS Allen et a1. July 20, 1909 

